Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Enugu boss Igwe fights back at critics says sponsors are job seekers

BY JUDE OSSAI / ENUGU

Medical Director of Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, Dr Monday Igwe has described the allegations levelled against him by some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) that he is not following the Public Service Rules (PSR) as set out by the Federal Government as false and baseless.

Addressing a press conference in Enugu on Tuesday, Dr Igwe said the unsubstantiated and libellous publications against his person were sponsored by those seeking positions they are not qualified for in the hospital.

Parts of the text read:

“The attention of the Management of Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Enugu, has been drawn to recent sponsored frivolous, falsified, unsubstantiated, misrepresented and libellous publications in social media about activities in the hospital and attacks on his personality.

“We want to state categorically that the said publications are mere imaginations without basis and may have arisen out of hallucinatory experiences of the sponsors who are bent on occupying positions they are not qualified for.

“It started following a letter from the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) dated 26th April, 2023 (a copy is made available) which suspended regulatory activities in our school on the basis of appointment of new headship of the School of Post Basic Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing without compliance with the Council regulations for appointment of Head of Nursing training institutions in Nigeria.

“There was never a time the school was shut down by the Medical Director as portrayed in the publications, hence there could not have arisen the issue of directives from Federal Ministry of Health to reopen the school.

“The School has full accreditation to train 50 Psychiatric Nurses per session that runs for 18 months. The School cannot admit beyond her quota and one wonders where the said 700 students in the fictitious reports emanated from.

“The issue of suspension of regulatory activities by the NMCN is already being addressed quickly by the management of the hospital so that our students who are due to write examinations in November 2023 can do so.

“We are working hard to sort out all pending issues so that the embargo can be lifted. Resolutions were taken in a meeting between the Federal Ministry of Health officials, Registrar, Nurding and Midwifery Council of Nigeria and Medical Director FNPH Enugu aimed at addressing issues related to the suspension of activities of NMCN in our school. A copy of this is available for sighting.

“The day-to-day running of the hospital follows strictly Public Service Rules (PSR) and Financial Regulations (FR) as set out by the Federal Government of Nigeria and supervisory agencies.

“All employments are monitored by the Federal Ministry of Health, Office of Head of Service of the Federation, Federal Character Commission and Board of Management.

“The Medical Director ensures that due process is strictly followed in both employment and contract awards.

“The records are there for anyone to verify. Approvals for leave of absence and study leave in the past four years are considered and approved during Board of Management meetings.

“Every case has always been treated strictly according to public service rules without recourse to sentiments or any bias.

The Medical also said that he placed staff welfare as his main focus of administration, pointing out that in the past four years, there had been cordial working relationship with Labour Unions as all staff entitlements are promptly addressed.

He said that he upgraded more than 200 staff who had additional and verified higher qualifications.

“This is more than all staff who got such privileges between 1995 and 2019 before he came on board as Medical Director.

“No sectionalism, nepotism or favouritism ever involved as the MD has always carried along the labour leaders and administration department in such activities.

“All staff that work in his office were not selected by him”, he added.

According to him, he met them on ground on assumption of duty and had carried on well with them.

The Medical Director recalled that he was recently given a second tenure of office for four years, stressing that he had brought to bear an unprecedented infrastructural development to the hospital.

“The group from Federal Ministry of Health who came to appraise my activities for the first tenure gave me very high commendations that warranted the immediate past Hon. Minister of State for Health recommending me for a second tenure that was approved by the immediate-past President with effect 1st April, this year.

He also said that he has changed the nearly moribund hospital he inherited in terms of orderliness, cleanliness, following due process, accrediting School of Nursing, Residency Programme for doctors and Molecular Laboratory.

“I also sponsored several staff in all Departments to conferences and seminars.

The Hospital has also made significant breakthroughs recently by recording high number of passes in residency examinations, School of Nursing external examinations and winning ECOWAS Commission Grant for expansion of her drug rehabilitation project to the tune of 100 million naira.

“In 2021, the hospital was also rated 5th among all specialist hospitals in Nigeria in ICPC assessment for observation of due process and anti-corruption index.

“The Hospital Community Psychiatric model being put in place is highly commended as it covers the 15 senatorial zones in South East Nigeria.

“Unfortunately over the past 12 years, one particular staff has tried to place the reputation of the hospital in the negative.

“I call on all staff, friends of the hospital and general public to disregard all the recent negative reports about the hospital.

“The staff and management ably led by Dr Monday Igwe are committed to leaving a legacy of giving the best of Mental Health care to entire South East of Nigeria and neighbours.

“We cannot be distracted as we are convinced that God is on our side. There is no crisis in the hospital”, he concluded.

Editor

Jude Ossai (JP) a veteran journalist is a National Diploma holder in Mass Communication from Ogwashi-Uku Polytechnic Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State. He also studied at Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Enugu and Imo State University, Owerri for his first and second degrees in Mass Communication, respectively. He writes extensively on politics, crime, corruption, climate change, healthcare, human rights, social justice, among others.